Guard plate and guard plate support for slicing machines



June 14-, 1932. w; CAMPBELL 1,863,328

GUARD PLATE AND GUARD PLATE SUPPORT FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed July 12, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SLICING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK GUARD PLATE AND GUARD PLATE SUPPORT FOR SLICING MACHINES Application filed July 12, 1929.

My invention relates to a slicing machine of the type in which a rotary knife is employed, together with means for conveying the work to be sliced across the face and past the cutting edge of said knife. One object of my invention is to provide an improved mounting for the guard plate for the forward face of said knife. Another object is the provision of means for mounting or protecting the drive for said knife. Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically inthe accompanying drawings, wherein V Figure 1 is a front elevation;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 and Figure 5 is a detail. 7

Like parts are indicated bylike symbols throughout the specification and drawings. 7

A generally indicates a base member mounted for example upon the ground engaging supports A Mounted on the base in any suitable manner is a motor" B with its shaft B and drive pulley B C is a frame or partition member upwardly projecting from the base A and apertured as at C to permit the passage therethrough of the motor shaft B C indicates any suitable housing member for the motor. C is a flange. forwardly projecting from the partition C. which serves as a partial enclosure of the drive for the knife. 0 indicates a bearing portion herein shown as integral with the frame and continuous with the partition C. It is provided with a forwardly projecting guard member C. i

D indicates a knife shaft. rotatable in the portion C and provided with a pulley D about which passes the belt D whereby the pulley D is driven from the motor pulley B D indicates the knife recessed in its forward face as at D and on its rear face as at D. The guard portion C penetrates the rear recess, as shown for example in Figure 2'.

Serial- No. 377,842.

E indicates a guard plate for the forward face of the knife. Its arcuate edge E penetrates the recess D at the front of the knife. It will be seen, as in Figure 2, that the knife axis is somewhat inclined, in order to throw the cutting arc of the knife forwardly into the plane of the guard plate E. E indicates a supporting plate which slidably seats in the recesses E3 E ofthe frame, as shown for example inFigures 3 and 4. This memberE is shown in detail in Figure5 its upper edge E seating in the slot E and its lower edge E seating in the slot E It is arcuately cut away as at'E this cut away portion, indicated in dotted line in Figure 1, being masked M by the knife whenthe assembly is in operative position. The plate E is movable as a unit with the plate E and is adjustably sup- .ported thereon. As an example of such adjustment I illustrate, as in Figure 4, the screwthreaded pin E on the plate E with the abutment nut E and the spacing nut E Screwthreaded for engagement with the spacing nut is the securing screwv E, with its external washer E which penetrates the nut E, as shown in Figure 4. The guard plate E is thereby held. in relation to the plate E at the desired adjustment. E indicates a securing member or screw, adjacent the slot E whereby the plate E may be held against movement when set in position.

G indicates a cover which is held in position on the frame, as by the securingmem- 'ber G It is provided with a circumferential depending apron G G is an end or side cover plate, which may be held'in position as by the securing screws G H indicates a scraper opposed to the forward face of the knife. as shown for example in Figure 1. Preferably it is adjust J indicates a worksupporting carriage,

with the work engaging surface J mounted thereon. The carr age is movable for example along the tracks J 2 J whereby the work may be guided across the face of the m0 knife.

K indicates any desired gauge plate structure which may be moved away from the cutting plane in order to vary the thickness of the slices cut.

When the closure plate G is in position it prevents movement of the plate E I may provide the additional locking means, as for example the screw E It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be takenas in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to my specific showing. The use and operation of my in: vention are as follows:

It is frequently important to remove the guard plate E, for access to the knife and knife drive. It is also important, however, that the adjustment of such guard plate E, in relation to the knife, be not disturbed. I therefore provide the plate E which serves as a support for the plate E and which is fixed, as to its position in relation to the frame, by its engagement with the slots E E When it is desired to remove the guard plate E the cover Gr may be removed, and the end plate G Y The operator may then loosen the set screw E if such is employed for holding means and withdraw the plate E and with it the guard plate E, without disturbing the adjustment of the guard plate A The guard structure so provided is important, inthe type of knife herein disclosed, because the rapid rotation of a motor driven knife tends to carry dirt, grease, bits of'meat and the like into the space to the rear of the guard plate E. Both in the interest of sanitation and for the protection of the drive,

which may include a rubber belt I desire to limit to a minimum the access of such material and also to make the removal of such material and the interior cleaning of the device easy. lVhen the assembly is in the position in whichit is shown, for example, in Figure 2, the guard plate entirely protects the face of the knife except for the peripheral strip about the relatively restricted cutting edge. The material which adheres to the front of the knife is largely removed by the scraper H, lVhatever material does penetrate the space to the rear of the plate E can go no farther because the plate E penetrates within the periphery of the knife and the material delivered by the knife will inevitably be delivered centrifugally outwardly away from the knife axis. The plate Ethere-' fore completes the closure of what is afsubstantially closed chamber for the transmission. Since the belt D may be made of rubber, it is particularly important that it be not contacted by grease, meat juices, la d and ing upwardly about said knife, a guard plate positioned forwardly of said knife, a supporting plate forming with the guard plate a structureremovable as a unit, said supporting plate including a portion adapted to be interposed between the rear face of the knife and the said driving connection.

2. In a slicing machine, a rotary knife, means for rotating it, and a driving connection between said rotating means and said knife, a frame including a portion extending upwardly about said knife, a guard plate positioned forwardly of said knife, a support-ing plate forming with the guard plate a structure-removable as a unit, said supporting plate including a portion adapted tobe interposed between the rear 'face of the knife and the said driving connection, thesupporting plate being slidably mounted in the frame.

3. In a slicing machine which includes a rotary knife and means for rotating it, a frame on which said knife is mounted, said frame including a portion extending up wardly about said knife, a guard platepositioned forwardly of said knife, and asupporting plate for said plate, said supporting plate and guard plate being unitarily' reframe including a portion extending upwardly about said knife, a guard plate positioned forwardly of said knife, and a support for said guard plate, said support and guard plate being 'unitarily removable from the frame, and a closure plate for the frame, and means for securing it in position, said closure plate being adapted, when so secured, to hold the support against movement in relation to the frame. r

5. In a slicing machine, a motor, a rotary knife, a driving connection between knife and motor, a removable guard plate for the forward face of the knife, and a supporting plate for said guard plate, said supporting plate being interposed between the knife and the driving connection. r r

6. In a slicing machine a motor, a lmife, a driving connection between knife and motor, a frame on which said knife is mounted, said frame including a portion extending upwardly about said knife and adapted to mask one face of the knife, a guard plate positioned forwardly of said knife and adapted to mask the opposite face of the knife, and a supporting plate for said guard plate, said supporting plate being positioned to the rear of said knife and between said knife and said driving connection, and extending substantially Within the periphery of the knife.

7. The structure of claim 6 characterized in that said supporting plate is slidably mounted for sliding movement in a plane generally parallel With the plane of the knife.

Signed at Indianapolis, and State of Indiana, this 1929.

county of Marion, 25th day of June,

WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL. 

